Remember the Past

Chapter 5

He gives me steaming beef stew. I've never had anything like this before. It's delicious and I can feet it's warmth as I swallow it, warming my insides. We sit by the fire next to Denver.

I eat my soup quietly occasionally answering Colin's questions about Eagle Bay school. I am content until the elderly lady walks out the cottage door. She sits in a rocking chair on the porch. I have finished my soup so I walk up to the cottage door.

I stop a step away from the porch looking at the lady. Colin followed me and takes the bowl from my hands and takes it inside.

I don't know what to say or even what to call her. I didn't realize that I was staring until she says, "is a story what you're waiting for?"

I open my mouth to speak and what comes out is, "sure."

"You know it's long past my bedtime, but I won't go to bed as long as you are here with my boys."

She looks at me suspiciously. I don't understand what she meant by that. She must have read my innocent expression because her gaze softens. She looks at the hill that I climbed earlier. I follow her gaze, but all I can see is it's silhouette in the darkness.

I turn back to her. I can see her face clearly with the light from the flickering fire. I'm sure she can't see more than my silhouette with my back turned to the campfire.

"When I was a girl, I often ran away, but I always found myself sitting on that hill. I would spend long afternoons there away from my troubles, daydreaming.

My long dress blue in the wind and I always wore my rubber boots. I dreamed up this cottage and when I grew up I made it a reality."

I fight the urge to ask her how long ago that was, but something tells me that that comment would be unwise.

She went on talking about the beauty of the rolling hills and how there was nothing but open fields for miles. I wonder about how the warm sun would feel on my face. I have so much that I want to experience: the warm sunshine, time to wonder outside, to be free with no one to tell me what to do, and so much more that I don't know about, yet.

I look over to the hill again. Now I can start to see the green. Oh, no! The sun is coming up! I need to get back. "Got to go." I interject and tack off over the hill.

I know that that was rude, but I don't have time for pleasantries. I don't know what they would do to me if they found out I was gone, but I don't want to find out. I take off, running as fast as I can.

By the time the compound is in sight, my legs burn. I push through the pain knowing that my life will be worse if I don't. It isn't until I stop at the door and swipe the key card that I realize how hard I am breathing.

My heart is racing as I climb the steps. Floor after floor. Stair after stair. I finally reach the eleventh floor. I go into my cell and lock it.

I made it, but my relief is quickly replaced by exhaustion. I spent all night talking to Colin and the elderly lady. I was released to go to my normal classes. I purposely fell asleep in most of them so that I could spend tonight at the cottage.